Hi guys i need some photoshop help. does anyone on here have skype? probably would be easier. i would really appreciate it.

i am working on some projects for a school presentation and id like to kick things up a bit with some photoshop

1. How would i create custom shapes like what you see here (ropes, anchors, etc.)

2. Also notice on the image above, how the rope on the right is dusty vintage looking, whereas the rope on the left is much more crisp. How would i create that dusty vintage look? (adjusting opacity would not do the trick)

3.) How do i put images inside of letters like this:

4.) Lastly, how do i draw something by hand and have it appear as a separate layer (without the white of the paper showing up at all) like this:

1. How would i create custom shapes like what you see here (ropes, anchors, etc.)

This one is a bit beyond the scope of a simple how-to a messageboard post. You want to learn how to do that, you'll have to hunker down and learn to use your vector tools. But the rest...

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2. Also notice on the image above, how the rope on the right is dusty vintage looking, whereas the rope on the left is much more crisp. How would i create that dusty vintage look? (adjusting opacity would not do the trick)

Alpha masks. Once you draw out your shape and fill it with white, you can create an alpha mask sublayer on it and use a grunge map with various shadees of grey to get that worn decal on a window look. I'll tell you how to play around with alphas in the next question.

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3.) How do i put images inside of letters like this...

Easy. I'm gonna assume you're a complete Photoshop newb, so if I sound condescending...well...it ain't on purpose, so deal. :P

First, you're going to need to learn about these two buttons at the bottom of your layers tab.

The one on the left is "add layer mask", which is applied to a new layer which you create by pressing the button on the right, which is...wait for it...the "create new layer" button.

Okay, find an image you want to use as your background. The shot you used in your demo above looks like an old black and white jpeg someone blew up and laid their text over. Considering you're going for a windowed look, I went ahead and grabbed a city street shot for my example.

Grab one you like, start a new canvas (I started one that's 512x512 for the sake of this tutorial), and drop the city shot into PS. If it's too big, activate the free transform tool with CMD-T (or Ctrl-T if you're in Windows), hold shift, and drag one of the corners to do an aspect correct scale.

Confused about that last bit? Play with it for 5 seconds, and you'll see what I mean.

Once you're happy there, go ahead and fire up your text tool. Drag it out so it fills the whole layer, make the text fairly large (or use your free transform tool to scale it up), and type away. Doesn't matter what color the text is, you're only using it as an auto marquee select for what comes later...

I'm sure this is all about as clear as mud by this point. See, what an alpha mask does is takes the image on the layer and applies transparencies to it based on shades of grey. Black is completely transparent, white is completely opaque, and all the various shades of grey between are different levels of transparency.

Right now, the colors are completely the opposite of what you want. The text should be black (see through), and the area outside completely white (opaque). To fix this, just highlight the submask box (you'll see 4 little brackets surrounding it...

...then go to image/adjustment/invert from the dropdown menus at the top...

Remember, black subtracts from that layer, white keeps it showing. When you're in an alpha sublayer, your color swatch over there on the left only draws black and white by default, which you can switch between by hitting the X key.

Experiment with it, and you'll see what I mean. And this tutorial went on way longer than what I intended. Now for the rest...

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4.) Lastly, how do i draw something by hand and have it appear as a separate layer (without the white of the paper showing up at all) like this...

That's even easier. Start your canvas and fill it with a white background. Hit your create new layer button, pick a brush, black for the color, and start drawing away. When you're done, delete the white canvas backdrop, and you'll have your drawing on an otherwise transparent layer.